Stability
by Celestial Lasso
Summary: Gabe/Ian- Gabe needs to be more careful with his words. For Tower Prep. A collection of tales of Gabe and Ian, and how sometimes Gabe should just keep his mouth shut.
1. Kiss

Gabe can be incredibly persuasive, sometimes. Even when he really doesn't mean to. For example, he really didn't mean it (or at least, he thinks he didn't) when he said if Ian can't get a girl to kiss him, and if he can't get a girl, they should just kiss each other. Of course, knowing that he indirectly made him do that, just made the whole thing more awkward.

"...shit. Sorry, er, Ian... I didn't, uh, r- realize what I was saying, y'know? Let's just forget about it? " He wasn't even trying then, and it didn't work, so maybe he actually was trying before? But why would he want Ian to kiss him, I mean, he's pretty sure that Ian wasn't interested and... well, Ian probably could've resisted it, since he would've been able to see... _it _coming, right?

"No man, it's fine, I... you know I saw it coming." Okay, so he _did _see it coming. Right. Gabe needs a second to think. He's about to ask why he didn't... but Ian beats him to the punch. "You... you seemed like you wanted it so I decided to... I don't know, go with it."

"...r- really? " Gabe tries to sit up in his chair. Ian copies the movement and sits up on the bed.

"Yeah. I- I don't know man... you think C.J. is rubbing off on me? " They both laugh, awkwardly at first, but then it seems they both got the mental images of Ian wearing a long brown wig, and they both crack up, Gabe falling out his seat, holding on to Ian like he's the only stable thing in the room. In fact, he's the least stable thing in the room, but he works just as well. Unfortunately, the contact seems to make everything more awkward. Gabe looks up at the blonde, then away.

"Did... er... did you, y'know... like it?"

"Hm? "

"The… the kiss."

"...I, I guess so. I mean, it wasn't my first so... 's nothing special. You? "

"…"

"What?"

Gabe turns away, probably turning a lovely shade of pink, because he thinks it might have been his first kiss, that other time didn't really count, and he was a little concerned that it was with a guy he met just a few days ago_. _He wonders if he should ask Ian whether he really considered that last fact. He probably didn't, despite Ian's special power being foresight, he certainly doesn't think before he acts. And even if he did, he probably wouldn't care, either way.

"C'mon, that wasn't your first kiss, was it? "

"Well, to be honest, I'm not quite sure."

"You're not quite sure. Right."

"Well, I kind of fainted, I think?"

"…you think?"

"It was very distressing! I just got close to him and... er... yeah. I fainted." Gabe feels like he's just humoring Ian. He has a small urge to stop talking and go down to the lobby and grab a soda and just get away from the blonde, but it's hard to stop the conversation. The small silence between him ending it, and him leaving, is enough to make him dizzy. It's hard when things aren't perfect.

"Gabe... can I kiss you again? " Kiss. _Again. Ian. _Gabe thinks he might nearly explode, now, because he was flustered enough with Ian being very, very inconsiderate and continuing to talk about something he asked him to forget.

"Well, if you think about it, I kind of kissed you, well, ordered you to- - persuad- - I mean, I, er- - - mm! Okay. Okay. I'll be quiet."

Gabe decides that this time, it really was Ian that kissed him.

-end-


	2. Night Night, Roomie

"Youuuuuu have a sock monkey."

"…no. No, I don't."

"Yes you do." Ian giggles and drapes an arm over Gabe's shoulders. "You called it your "belov-beloved companion… mmm… you're warm." Ian isn't making any sense, and it's just beginning to bother him.

Ian is acting completely different from how he usually acts, that calm, bright personality is gone and here is this childish… thing in his place. And he's bugging Gabe.

He's sick, and Gabe somehow got roped into taking care of him. It's odd, Gabe thinks, shouldn't he be the one manipulating _him? _But Gabe doesn't say anything; he just lets Ian rest his head on his lap and rest. Let him rest and let the medication wear off. It shouldn't be too longer, he just has to wait a little bit, and Ian will move away and…

"Hey, hey Gabey…"

"Mm?"

"Will you… will you tuck me in?"

"What?"

"Tuck me iiiiiiin."

"…"

"Pwease?"

"Ian, stop acting like a baby."

Ian sits up and pouts.

"…please?"

Gabe lets out a strangled "yes" and stands up, walking over to his bed and picking up the Señor and holding him under his chin. He simply stares at the monkey, occasionally poking at his button eyes. He doesn't look at Ian. It bothers him to look at Ian, right now.

"Gabey?"

It feels really, really weird to be in the same room with Ian, this late, and with him acting this way. He shouldn't feel awkward, he can talk his way out of anything, and so he should always feel comfortable. But he doesn't. He wonders if Ian notices the slight flush on his cheeks and his furrowed eyebrows. Probably not.

"Gabbeeeeee-"

"Shut up."

Ian puts on the pouty face again and keeps staring, but he does just that. He doesn't say anything for a long, long time. Gabe just plays with the señor's hat, turning it in his hands. He needs a distraction. He's worried about so many things.

He's worried about Ian's sickness, he's worried about losing his temper, and he's worried about… worrying. He really shouldn't, Ian wouldn't care. Medicated or not. He'd just do that thing he always does, gives you that look with those _eyes _and you relax. It's pretty hard not to be calm around Ian; he just has that sort of aura.

He sends the Señor a telepathic message, asking him if he should apologize. Señor says yes. So, Gabe blurts out: "I'm sorry."

"Mm…?" Ian yawns and stretches and looks up at Gabe again, Apparently, he nodded off. Lovely.

"I'm sorry I told you to shut up."

"…you did?"

"…will you just- nevermind. Nevermind. Do you want me to help you get to bed now?"

"Mm… I kind of want to sleep on the floor. Too tired."

"No, that wouldn't be good. Nurse said you need to… hold onto my neck. Up you go." Ian leans on Gabe way too much, and it takes awhile to get him into bed but they manage. Ian plops down and grabs onto Gabe's hand. Gabe decides not to say anything for the rest of the night.

"Tuck me in."

Gabe has never been good at "tucking in" so he pulls the blankets up as far as he can, nearly covering Ian's face. Only his eyes can be seen, and it looks like he's grinning. He says something extremely muffled then, realizing Gabe couldn't understand him, jerks his arm back, pulling Gabe down to his face.

"Kiss me goodnight."

He promised not to say anything, so he doesn't, even then, not even when he's pulled down the blankets a bit and placed a small kiss on Ian's nose. Ian looks up at the brunette and glares.

"Well, that wasn't a very nice kiss."

Gabe grins.

"Shut up."

And kisses him again. Properly, this time. Or, at least, proper by Ian's standards. Or as properly as he can right after he broke him promise.

Oh well, Ian was fooling with his hand, crossing his fingers, anyway.

-end-


End file.
